Motor fuel



Patented Apr. 25, 1939 I 2,155,678

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTOR FUEL J Johan c. n. Oosterhout, Port Arthur, Tex, as-

signor to The Texas Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application June 25, 1935, Serial No.- 28,247

,9 Claims. (01. 44-9) This invention relates to the stabilization of whereby a cloud or even a precipitate may form in anti-knock reagents for motor fuels and more the gasoline as the result of the decomposition of particularly to the stabilization of anti-knock rethe reagent. agents of the tetra-ethyl lead type, by the pro- I have found that a tetra-ethyl lead anti-knock vision in the reagent of a stabilizing agent which reagent or ethyl fluid may be stabilized by the will prevent or retard deterioration of the 'antiaddition thereto of a small proportion of lecithin, knock material on storage. such as produced from soy beans. -A crude or It is customary to add to commercial gasollnes. purified product may be used but I prefer a puriespecially those of high anti-knock value, an antifled product relatively free from fatty oils.

0 knock reagent to increase or maintain the anti- Crude phosphatides may also be used. The

knock property. One of the most common requantity to be added may vary within rather wide agents is tetra-ethyl lead, although other metallolimits and various quantities between about organic compounds, such as metal carbonyls, 1-15% are satisfactory. It is ordinarily not particularly nickel carbonyl, are sometimes used. necessary to useover about The following The anti-knock compounds are often added to table shows the periods of stabilization of a'sample gasolines in the form of prepared reagents of a of ethyl fluid by certain quantities of lecithin: predetermined composition which are easily handied, distributed and dissolved in the gasoline to stabilization be treated. It is desirable that these reagents Quantity p rlodln dark be stable and not decompose or deteriorate on storage or handling, and even after they are in- None. 3t04days. corporated into the gasoline. if? p fg 'gfg g The present invention is directed particular] 8 i 15 months: to the treatment of a tetra-ethyl lead type of l anti-knock reagent. This reagent is commonly provided in the form of a fluid composition which The anti-knock t containing lecithin in may be readily dissolved in t gasoline in any addition to being stable itself on storage also has desired proportions. A typical composition of the advantage of stabilizing e 885011118 130 which this type, commonly known in the t d as it is added. The gasolines to which ordinary Ethyl is as follows; ethyl fluid has been added have been found to p cent by become cloudy or form a precipitate, particularly weight, in sunlight, whereas gasolines containing ethyl Tetra-ethyl lead 61.69 fl d sta ilized by lecithin remain unchanged for Ethylene dibromide 25.09 10118 pe ds of time. The invention has the Ethylene dichloride 8.50 further advantage that the corrosion of tanks or as me 012 other containers containing ethyl fluid which has Kerosene e 355 been stabilized as herein described, is substan- Undetermined I (L94 tially prevented.

' The subject matter of this application is re- Such tetra-ethyl lead compositions or ethyl fluids have the tendency to decompose and defig gfifigf is hig g ir f igeg gt ig h o ierioraie on storage It is not uncommm t0 find D. Oosterhout, flied October 12, 1934, which has to a sediment precipitate in the of drums do with the stabilization of gasolines containor containers in which the material has been mg tetm ethy1 lead ambknockreagents by means stored or transported The decomposition of combinations of lecithin and certain gum in- 45 thermore, is often more rapid in sunlight or hmtors. amused light than in the darkwhen the Obviously many modifications and variations agent which is Partially decmpsedi is added of the invention, as hereinbefore'set forth, may to gasoline it is necessary to use care that none be made without departing from the spirit and I0 the precipitate 1 ansfen'ed to the gaswnei scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations since a cloudy appea willbe imparted should be imposed as are indicated in the apto. Although the gasoline to which the antipended laims. knock reagent is added be clear and free from I l i I I 1 y cloud. after the antiknock reagent is added 1. A composition comprising .tetraethyl lead II the W f n decomposes n the 838011119. normally unstable and tendingtodeterlorate and I6 form a cloud, stabilized against such deterioration and cloud formation by lecithin in the amount of about 1 to 15% oi the weight of the tetraethyl lead, said tetraethyl lead being the sole essential ingredient stabilized by said lecithin.

2. A composition comprising gasoline, tetraethyl lead and lecithin, said gasoline being normally gum stable and substantially unaflected in gumming tendency by the tetraethyl lead, said tetraethyl lead being normally unstable and tending to deteriorate and'i'orm a cloud, and said lecithin being present in an amount of about 1 to 15% of the weight of the tetraethyl lead and substantially preventing said deterioration and cluod formation.

3. A process iorthe stabilization of a composition containing tetraethyllead against deterioration on storage, said composition otherwise substantially stable except for the tetraethyl lead, which comprises adding to the composition lecithin in the amount of about 1 to 15% of the weight of the tetraethyl lead.

4. A process for the stabilization of gasoline containing tetraethyl lead, said gasoline otherwise 7 camera substantially stable except for the tetraethyl lead which tends to deteriorate and form a cloud, comprising adding to the gasoline lecithin in the amount of about 1 to 15% oi the weight of the tetraethyl lead.

5. A process for producing a stable tetra-ethyl lead composition which comprises mixing with tetraethyl lead a small amount of a phosphatide.

6. A process for producing a stable tetraethyl lead composition which comprises adding to ethyl fluid a small amount of a lecithin-containing compound.

7. A process for producing a stable tetraethyl lead composition which comprises adding lecithin to ethyl fluid in sufllcient amount to substantially retard deterioration thereof on storage.

8. A tetraethyl lead antiknock reagent,normally tending to deteriorate on storage, and containing lecithin in suflicient amount to retard such deterioration. Y

9. A fluid antiknock reagent, comprising tetraethyl lead and 1-15%'of lecithin.

JOHAN C. D. OOS'IERHOUT. 

